As it does every year, Colliers International has published its ‘Occupier Cost index’ (OCI), which calculates the total annual cost of a workstation per member of staff. This index is calculated on the basis of data from over 3,650 buildings across 29 European countries, and representing some 33 million square metres. The OCI involves over 1.7 million employees and is considered as a barometer of real estate costs for the professional property sector.

For Belgium, the workplace cost amounts to € 11,263 per FTE (Full Time Equivalent), which is 4%, or € 500, down on last year, per employee. Last year the OCI for Belgium offices had already dropped by 2%. It should be noted that our northern neighbours are 24% less expensive, while our southern neighbours are 30% more expensive. The European average stands at € 8,972 against € 8,443 in 2015, an increase of 6.26%.

The cost of a workstation in Belgium is virtually 20% higher than the European average, but this is only half of what it was last year, when the difference was 39%. Belgium is therefore on the right track where strengthening its competitive position is concerned, but there is still very much work to be done.